Wheelchairs are well known transportation appliances enabling the infirm, disabled and unwell person to move about with greater mobility than otherwise. Essentially, wheelchairs are small, single person conveyances typified by a chair supported by two outer, large diameter drive wheels behind the center of gravity of the user, and with two smaller swivel-mounted pilot wheels or casters located in front of the user's center of gravity. The chair may include a padded seat, or it may include a webbing or non-sling seat. Alternatively, the chair may be molded from a suitable material. A back rest is also typically provided for the user's comfort. Motive power may be supplied through the user's hands and arms to the drive wheels; or, an attendant or other caring person may push against handles or a rail at the rear of the wheelchair in order to propel it in a controlled, forward direction, as desired.
While wheelchairs following many different designs have proliferated there have been drawbacks heretofore remaining to be solved. In order to meet the needs and demands of the physically handicapped user, wheelchairs must be versatile and easily and readily adapted to accommodate the particular body shape and size of the user. Wheelchairs must also be versatile in adapting to both ambulatory and recreational travel, and they must be sufficiently rugged and durable to provide comfortable passage over uneven and irregular surfaces.
For instance, a hitherto unsolved need has arisen for a seating system for a wheelchair which is adjustable within a plurality of dimensions and ranges. Another unsolved need has been to provide a more fully collapsible and detachable seating system for a wheelchair whereby the wheelchair may be disassembled and stowed in pieces in small spaces, such as in an overhead storage compartment of an airplane. Yet another unsolved need has been for a seating assembly for a wheelchair which may be customized to the body shape, comfort and needs of a particular patient by a therapist with simple adjustments without special skills, tools or training. One more unsolved need has been for a more universal seating system for a wheelchair in which a variety of seating system designs, such as light weight sports designs, may be readily used interchangeably with the wheelchair chassis without any modification to the chassis or other impairment.